Double-ender sleigh-runner.



No. 7l6,543. Patented Dec. 23, 1902.

J. E. HOBBS.

DOUBLE ENDEB SLEIGH RUNNER.

(Application filed. June 21, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

FIG 1.

WITNESSES: INVENTO'R: W; 40 Ugo/1w 5/1 055 MM i$ Patented Dec. 23, I902.

J. E. HOBBS.

DOUBLE ENDER SLEIGH RUNNER.

(Appfication filed June 21. 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

FIG. .3

INVENTOR:

JO/l/VEHOBBS, wwm m WITNESSES:

Arnr OFFICE.

JOHN E. HOBBS, OF NORTH BERWIGK, MAINE.

DOUBLE-ENDER SLEIGH RUNNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,543, dated December23, 1902.

Application filed June 21, 1901. Serial No. 65,497. (No model.)

.[b all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN E.HOBBs, of North Berwick, in the State ofMaine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Double-EnderSleigh-Runners, whereof the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

My present improvements are particularly applicable to runners arrangedto be detachably secured to the body of a sleigh, pung, orwheel-vehicle.

As hereinafter described, my invention comprises a unitary frameworkindependent of the vehicle-body to which it may be attached andconsisting of a pair of counterpart runners having upwardly-curved endsconnected by cross-bars rigidly braced to the respective runners.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a vehicle-bodyprovided with a runner-framework conveniently embodying my improvements.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sleigh-runner shown in Fig. 1. a rearelevation of the runner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. at is a side Viewshowing in detail the peculiar construction of the runner side springs.

In said figures, A A are counterpart runners, which are connected attheir front extremities by the cross-bar B and at their rear extremitiesby the cross-bar 0. Each of said runners A comprises a wooden base-barA, whose opposite ends a are upwardly curved, as best shown in Fig. 1.Each of said basebars A is provided with a shoe A of iron or steel, theextremities a of which project beyond the curved ends a of the base-barand are respectively secured to the cross-bars B and O. Said cross-barsB and O are rigidly secured to the base-bars A by the trusses D, whichare fixed at their crowns d to said crossbars and provided withdownwardly-divergent limbs d, fixed upon said base bars. Each of saidtrusses D is braced by standards D the feet 61 of which are fixed uponthe respective base bars A intermediate of the limbs d of the trusses.Said standards are secured to the limbs d of the trusses at dintermediate of their height and extend laterally beneath the respectivecross-bars B C, to which they are secured at d. The proximal limbs d ofthe trusses D upon the respective base-bars A are connected byrespective tie-bars E, which are secured to said limbs d at (Z and saidtie-bars E are connected with the base-bars intermediate of their lengthby means of the brackets e. The springs E, which connect the cross-barsparallel with the base bars A, preferably comprise several leavesarched, as shown in Fig. 1, the respec tive leaves f of said springs Bbeing extended beneath the respective cross-bars B O and upturned andrecurved, so as to overhang said cross-bars. The overhanging ends ofsaid springs F are mounted upon bearing-plates b 0 upon the respectivecross-bars B O, to which they are secured by the clip-bolts b c, whichpreferably extend across the ends of the springs diagonally, as bestshown in Fig. 2, so as to distribute the strain upon each spring. Thedownwardly-turned ends f of said springs F engage the inner edges ofsaid cross-bars B C, as best shown in Fig. 4, and I prevent longitudinaldisplacement of the springs. The cross-bar O terminates laterally at theouter faces of the opposed runners A; but the ends of the frontcross-bar B proj ect laterally beyond the runners A and are providedwith couplings B to engage the thills H, so that said bar B constitutesthe draft-bar of the unitary structure above described,which is soconstructed and arranged as to be self-supporting independently of anyvehicle-body. However, any preferred form of vehicle-body I may beconveniently mounted upon the yokes G, which are secured upon thesprings F by the clip-bolts g, as indicated in Fig. 1, such body beingsecured to the yokes by any convenient means, such as screws or bolts.

The structure above described is so arranged that the weight of the bodyI and its contents is distributed by the springs F to the cross-bars Band O in such manner as to tend to separate said cross-bars in thedirection of the length of the runners, and said runners are bracedagainst the strain thus produced by the arrangement of the trussesD,with the downwardly-divergent limbs fixed upon the base-bars A. Thetie-bars E also serve to brace the trusses D against displacement in thedirection of the strain placed upon them by said springs and tend tostiffen the base-bars A.

It is to be noted that the construction and arrangement of the partsabove described are such as to secure the maximum strength of therunners without interference with the light and graceful appearance ofthe latter. Moreover, although the base-bars A, braced and connected asabove described, form a very rigid and substantial base for a vehiclethe superimposed springs and parts connected therewith are so arrangedas to afford the maximum resiliency of connection between thevehiclabodyand the base-bars,thus insuring the com fort of the occupantof the vehicle. The turning and backing of the vehicle are of coursefacilitated by the provision of the upwardly-curved ends at the rear ofthe runners, which are thus rendered capable of riding over obstructionsin the road against which ordinary runners would abut. Saidupwardly-curved rear ends are also of ad vantage in that they enable therunners to pass gradually down and up cradle-holes in the road withoutthe jarring incident to the employment of ordinary runners whichterminate abruptly.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of constructionand arrangement hereinbefore described, as it is obvious that variousmodifications may be made therein without departing from the essentialfeatures of my invention.

I claim 1. In a sleigh-runner, the combination with a wooden base-barhaving upwardly-curved ends; of a metal shoe fixed to said bar andprojecting beyond the ends thereof; two trusses comprisingdownwardly-divergent limbs fixed to said base-bar; and meansrespectively connecting the projecting ends of said shoe with therespective crowns of said trusses, substantially as set forth.

2. In a sleigh-runner, the combination with a base-bar havingupwardly-curved ends; of two trusses having downwardly-divergent limbsfixed to said base-bar and respectively connected at their crowns withthe respective curved ends of said bar; a tie-bar connecting theproximal limbs of said trusses; and a bracket connecting said base-barand tie-bar, intermediate of the length of the latter, substantially asset forth.

3. In a sleigh-runner, the combination with two base-bars havingcounterpart upwardlycurved ends; of a cross-bar transversely connectingthe front ends of the respective basebars; a cross-bar transverselyconnecting the rear ends of the respective base-bars; and a springextending parallel with said base-bars and fixed at its oppositeextremities to the respective crossbars, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a sleigh-runner, the combination with two base-bars havingcounterpart upwardlyc'urved ends; of a cross-bar transversely connectingthe front ends of the respective basebars; a cross-bar transverselyconnecting the rear ends of the respective base-bars; two

springs extending parallel with said base bars and fixed at theiropposite extremities to the respective cross-bars; and yokes fixed tothe respective springs and arranged to attach the runner to avehicle-body, substantially as set forth.

5. In a sleigh-runner, the combination with a base-bar havingupwardly-curved ends; of a shoe for said base-bar projecting beyond thecurved ends thereof; cross-bars respectively fixed to the oppositeprojecting ends of said shoe; and two trussescomprisingdownwardlydivergent limbs fixed to said base-bar, andrespectively connected at their crowns with the respective cross -bars,substantially as set forth.

6. In a sleigh-runner, the combination withabase-barhavingupwardly-curved ends; of a shoe for said base-barprojecting beyond the curved ends thereof; cross-bars respectively fixedto the opposite projecting ends of said shoe; two trusses comprisingdownwardly-divergent limbs fixed to said base-bar and respectivelyconnected at their crowns With the respective cross-bars; and tie-barsrespectively connecting the proximal limbs of said trusses, intermediateof the height thereof, substantially as set'forth.

7. In a sleigh-runner, the combination with a base-bar havingupwardly-curved ends; of a shoe for said base-bar projecting beyond thecurved ends thereof; cross-bars respectively fixed to the oppositeprojecting ends of said shoe; two trusses comprisingdownwardly-divergent limbs fixed to said base-bar and respectivelyconnected at their crowns with the respective cross-bars; and standardsfixed to said base-bar and to the limbs of the respective trusses,extending laterally beneath the respective cross-bars and respectivelyfixed thereto, substantially as set forth.

8. In a sleigh-runner, the combination with a base-bar havingupwardly-curved ends; of a shoe for said base-bar projecting beyond thecurved ends thereof; cross-bars'respectively fixed to the oppositeprojecting ends of said shoe; two trusses respectively connected attheir crowns with the respective cross-bars and havingdownwardly-divergent limbs fixed to said base-bar; and a springextending parallel with said base-bar and fixed at its Oppositeextremities to the respective cross-bars, substantially as set forth.

9. In a sleigh-runner, the combination with a pair of wooden base-barshaving counterpart upwardly-curved ends; of metal shoes for saidbase-bars projecting beyond the ends thereof; cross-bars respectivelyconnecting the front and rear extremities of the basebars; two trussesupon each of said base-bars respectively connected at their crowns withsaid cross-bars; standards fixed to said base bars intermediate of thelimbs of the respective trusses, fixed to said limbs intermediate oftheir height, extending laterally beneath the respective cross-bars, andfixed to the latter; tie-bars respectively connecting the proximal limbsof the trusses upon each of said base-bars; and brackets respectivelyconnecting said base-bars with said tie-bars intermediate of the lengththereof; two springs extending parallel with said runners andrespectively connecting the cross-bars thereof, the ends of said springsbeing recurved beneath said cross-bars and fastened to the top thereof;and yokes for the respective springs, secured thereto in parallelposition and arranged to attach the runner to a vehicle-body,substantially as set forth.

10. In a sleigh-runner,the combination with two counterpart base-barshaving upwardlycurved ends; of cross-bars transversely connecting saidbase-bars at the respective ends thereof; and springs extending parallelwith said base-bars, and connected at their opposite extremities Withthe respective crossbars, substantially as set forth.

11. In a sleigh-runner,the combination with two base-bars havingcounterpart upwardlycurved ends; of a cross-bar transversely connectingthe front ends of the respective basebars, and projecting laterallybeyond the same; a cross-bar transversely connecting the rear ends ofthe respective base-bars; thillcouplings fixed upon the projecting endsof said front cross-bar; springs connecting said front and rearcross-bars; and means upon said springs arranged to attach the runner toa vehicle-body, substantially as set forth.

12. In a sleigh-runner,the combination with two base-bars; of twocross-bars respectively connecting the front and rear ends of saidbase-bars; springs extending beneath said cross-bars and comprisingupwardly-curved ends overhanging said cross-bars and terminating inhooks engaged therewith; and means to secure the hooked extremities ofsaid springs upon said cross-bars, substantially as set forth.

13. In a sleigh-runner,the combination with two base-bars; of trusseshaving downwardlydivergent limbs fixed to said base-bars; crossbarstransversely connecting the trusses of the respective base-bars; andstandards fixed upon said base-bars, secured to said trusses, andextending laterally inward beneath the respective cross-bars; and meansfixing the inner extremities of said standards to said cross-bars,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, at North Berwick,Maine, this 14th day of June, 1901.

JOHN E. HOBBS.

Witnesses:

F. 0. Snow, W. S. DYER.

